Self-supporting tripod mast



April 18, 1961 J. G. WESTERFIELD SELF-SUPPORTING TRIPOD MAST Filed Feb.4, 1960 BYWWWW ATTORNEY.

2,980,376 SELF-SUPPORTING TRIPOD MAST James G. waster-field, 76 MelroseAve.,

Youngstown, Ohio Filed Feb. 4, 1960, set. No. 6,692 2 Claims. (at.243-44) invention relates to a "self-supporting mast such as used forsupporting television antennas and the like.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of aself-supporting tripod mast wherein a straight section of the mast formsone of the three leg portions.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a self supportingtripod mast in which a pair of individual legsar attached to a mast andco-operates therewith in forming a tripod of which the mast is anintegral part.

A- further obje't of the invention is the provision of a simple andinexpensive tripod mast that may be completely assembled prior toinstallation on a roof or other supporting surface and then positionedin a self supporting free standing manner easily and quickly.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of aself-supporting tripod mast that may be mounted vertically on any typeof roof of varying degree of inclination.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of aself-supporting tripod mast that may be readily adjusted to conform tothe type of roof on which the mast is to be mounted, and readjusted toconform to difierent roof constructions and shapes when desired.

The self-supporting tripod mast disclosed herein comprises animprovement in masts such as commonly used for supporting televisionantennas and the like. It has heretofore been common in the art to usetwo general types of masts one of which comprises a single vertical mastsupported by guy wires'and the other of which comprises a flared threeor four leg base carrying a vertical mast on the upper end thereof. Suchmasts are diflicult and frequently impossible to install on houseshaving sharply pitched roofs. The mast disclosed herein is easilymounted on a pitched roof regardless of the degree of inclinationthereof and may be equally easily installed on a flat roof. The mastdisclosed herein may also be installed straddling the ridge of -a roofand is therefore readily adapted for use on all types of roofconstructions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes andmodifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposesof the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spiritand scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the self-supporting tripod mast.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the various parts of a clamping bracketforming a part of the mast shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on an enlarged scale on line 3--3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a group of symbolic roof shapes showing the mast positionedthereon.

By referring to the drawing and Figure 1 in particular it will be seenthat the self-supporting tripod mast comprises an elongated verticallypositioned mast section 10 having an area 11 of reduced diameteradjacent its upper end which receives a collar 12. An adjustablemultipart clamp is secured to the mast 10 intermediate its uppet andlower ends and comprises as may be seen by referring to Figures 2 and 3,a U shaped bracket 13 having spaced apertures 14 and 15 therein ispositioned in partially enclosing relation over a channel member 16 withserrations therein defining oppositely disposed partial radii 17 and 18which conform with the cross sec tionally circular shape of the mast 10as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawings. A U bolt 19 has its oppositeend portions positioned in the channel member 14 and through theapertures 14 in the U shaped bracket 13. Washers and nuts 21 and 22 aretheadably engaged on the threaded end portions of the U bolt 19. It willbe observed that the channel member 16 engages the mast 10 in theoppositely disposed serrated sections 17 and 18 and is therebyvertically positioned on the mast 10. The U shaped bracket 13 ispositioned immediately adjacent the channel member 16 so that the endsof the bracket 13 having the apertures 15 therein encloses the ends ofthe channel member 16. The arms of the U bolt 19 extend through theapertures 14 in the U shaped bracket 13 and the washers and nuts 21 and22 are applied which secure the U shaped bracket 13 to the channelmember 16 and to the mast 10.

A pair of similarly formed oppositely disposed legs 23 and 24 havingflattened end sections which are apertured, are secured at theirupper-ends by means of bolt and nut assemblies 25 and 26 to the ends ofthe U shaped bracket 13 by way of the apertures 15 therein.

It will thus be seen that the legs 23 and 24 are secured tothe mast 10so that they extend outwardly therefrom at an angle thereto and inoppositely disposed inclined arrangement. The bottom ends of the legs 23and 24 are attached by bolt and nut assemblies 27 and 28 to L shapedmounting brackets 29 and 30. The bottom ends of the legs 23 and 24 maythus be secured in desired position to a roof surface by fastenerspositioned through the L shaped brackets 29 and 30. The lowermost end ofthe mast 10 is provided with an adjustably mounted secondary L shapedbracket 31 which is secured to the mast 10 by a bolt and nut assembly 32positioned through the secondary L shaped bracket 31 and through anapertured secondary channel member 33 which is formed like the channelmember 16 heretofore referred to and which receives a secondary U bolt34 which is positioned around the mast 10 and is clamped theretothereby. Another bolt and nut assembly 32 is positioned through thesecondary L shaped bracket which is thereby clamped against the ends ofthe secondary U bolt 34 and thereby held in fixed position relative tothe mast 10.

It will be observed that the self-supporting tripod mast can bepositioned in various locations and in Figure 4 of the drawing severalsuch locations are illustrated. in Figure 4 the illustration to the leftshows a typical pitched roof with the mast 10 positioned verticallythereon and the legs 23 and 24 extending from the U shaped bracket 13 tothe L shaped brackets 29 and 30 which engage the roof at a point higherthan the secondary L shaped bracket 31 on the bottom of the mast 10. Itwill be seen that the oppositely disposed and angled positioning of thelegs 23 and 24 causes them to form two legs of a triangle with respectto the portion of the mast 10 extending between the secondary L shapedbracket 31 to the U shaped bracket 13. In the second sketch from theleft, comprising part of Figure 4, a similar ar- 2' Ice Patented Apr. 18, 1961.

scribed my invention what Iclaim is; t- V tically and in the fourthsketch from theglefta flat roof 7 is shown with thernast lfl positionedat anangle and the legs 23 and'24 positioned substantially perpendicularbe-; tween the, flat roof 'and theinclined mast- '10. Other mountings ofa similar nature will occurtothose skilled in the art, for example, theverticalmast 10 maybe positioned beside a house or a building" and thelegs 23 and 24 arranged on a substantially horizontal plane with theirends engagedon' the side of the house or'building and thereby'holdingthe mast 10 in spaced re latio n to the building while in rverticalpositionu e 3 I t In using the selfesupportingtripod mastdisclosedhereinas an antenna mountfa television antenna may beprealready erected on thereof and simply and easily posi-' tioned in thesleeve 12 and secured in position by tightening fasteners in'the sleeve'asiwillj be undq ood by those skilled'in the art; It will thus be'seen'that a supporting tripod mast has been disclosedwhich meets theseveral objects of my invention and having thus de- '1.- Aself-supporting tripod mast comprisingfin combi nation an elongatedstraight mast section a pair'of rela tively shorterleg sections and aclamping device secured to said straight mast section and to each ofsaid leg sections, said clamping device including an apertured chana a.aagasaara assembled on a short pole andlcarried intact to the mast"simple and, efiicint self- 5 f nel'section having serrated edges, anapertured bracket positioned adjacent said'channel section and havingend portions enclosing the ends of said channel'sectiom'a U boltpositioned through; said channel section and bracket and engaged aboutsaid mast, L shaped brackets attached to the end of said mast sectionand the ends of said leg sections respectively.

2. A self-supporting tripod mast comprising an elongated straight mastsection, a pair .of relatively shorter leg sections havingflattened'ends and a clamping device attached to the flattened ends ofsaid legsections and to said straight mast section, said clamping devicecomprising an apertured channel section having oppositely disposedserrated portions engaged on said straight mast section, an aperturedbracket positioned adjacent said channel section, said legs secured tosaid apertured bracket 'by bolt and nut assemblies, a U bolt positionedthrough said channel section and said bracket section and positionedaround said mast for securing the same to'one another, L shaped bracketson'thcends of said legs' and anL shaped bracket on one end of saidstraight mast section. a a -t ReferencesfC ited the file of thisipatentV U fUNITE D STATES P ATENIS" VA Y -Z OREIGN PATENTS 625,839

